Shocking News: A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Myanmar and Thailand, killing more than 356 people.

A powerful earthquake struck Myanmar, the capital of Burma, as well as its neighboring country Thailand on Friday, destroying buildings, a bridge and a dam.

At least 144 people died in Myanmar, where photos and videos from two hard-hit cities showed extensive damage, while in the Thai capital, at least eight people were reported dead after a high-rise building under construction collapsed.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake, with an epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, struck at midday and was followed by a strong 6.4-magnitude aftershock.

The full extent of the deaths, injuries and destruction was not immediately clear, especially in Myanmar, one of the world’s poorest countries, which is mired in civil war and where information is strictly controlled.

The head of Myanmar’s military government said in a televised speech on Friday night that at least 144 people were killed and another 730 injured.

“The death toll is expected to rise,” said General Min Aung Hlaing.

Some photos from the capital, Naypyidaw, showed several buildings used as accommodation for officials destroyed by the earthquake, and rescue teams rescuing victims from the rubble.

The Myanmar government said there was a high demand for blood in the worst-hit areas. Images of warped and cracked roads in Mandalay and damaged highways, as well as the collapse of a bridge and dam, raised further concerns about how rescuers could reach some areas of a country already suffering from a widespread humanitarian crisis.